In "Light from Other Stars" by Erika Swyler, the story revolves around Nedda Papas, an eleven-year-old girl in 1986 who dreams of becoming an astronaut. Her father, Theo, a scientist laid off from NASA, invents a device that manipulates time, leading to unforeseen consequences in their small Florida town. The narrative shifts between the past and future, where an older Nedda is aboard a spacecraft destined for a new planet, facing challenges that connect back to her childhood and family dynamics. The book blends elements of historical fiction and science fiction, exploring themes of familial bonds, aspiration, grief, and the impact of scientific innovation on personal lives.

Characters:

The characters are deeply developed, particularly the relationships, with Nedda as a central figure evolving through two time periods.

Writing/Prose:

The writing style is characterized by exquisite prose that thoughtfully explores scientific concepts while providing rich characterization.

Plot/Storyline:

The plot unfolds through a dual narrative that explores time manipulation, familial relationships, and the impacts of grief.

Setting:

The setting includes 1986 Florida during the Challenger disaster and a future space mission aimed at colonizing another planet.

Pacing:

The pacing varies as the narrative alternates between past and future, building tension effectively in both storylines.

Nedda Papas rose to birdsong, the sharp, rasping call of a dusky seaside sparrow against a backdrop of waves—a reminder of home and things she’d never see again. When she was asked what music she pref...

Notes:

The story has two timelines: one in 1986 focusing on eleven-year-old Nedda, and another in the future where she is an astronaut.

Nedda's father, Theo, created a machine called Crucible that manipulates time to heal injuries.

The novel touches on themes of grief, as Nedda's family is still mourning the loss of her brother.

Nedda's mother, Betheen, is a chemist whose work is undervalued, reflecting on women's roles in science and society.

The narrative includes a tragic event, the Space Shuttle Challenger disaster, that impacts Nedda's life.

The book explores complex relationships, particularly between mothers and daughters, and the sacrifices women make.

Swyler's writing combines science with deep emotional themes about love, loss, and family.

Critics describe the book as beautifully written, often eliciting strong emotional responses from readers.

The author has been praised for her character development, particularly of young Nedda compared to her future self.

Light from Other Stars has elements of both science fiction and coming-of-age stories, making it multifaceted.

Sensitive Topics/Content Warnings

Triggers/content warnings include child abuse and themes of grief and loss.

From The Publisher:

A Long Island Reads 2020 Selection * A Real Simple Best Book of 2019

From the bestselling author of The Book of Speculation, a "tender and ambitious" (Vulture) novel about time, loss, and the wonders of the universe.

Eleven-year-old Nedda Papas is obsessed with becoming an astronaut. In 1986 in Easter, a small Florida Space Coast town, her dreams seem almost within reach-if she can just grow up fast enough. Theo, the scientist father she idolizes, is consumed by his own obsessions. Laid off from his job at NASA and still reeling from the loss of Nedda's newborn brother several years before, Theo turns to the dangerous dream of extending his daughter's childhood just a little longer. The result is an invention that alters the fabric of time.

Decades later, Nedda has achieved her long-held dream and is traveling aboard the space ship Chawla, part of a small group hoping to colonize a distant planet. But as she floats in zero gravity, far from earth, she and her crewmates face a serious crisis. Nedda may hold the key to the solution, if she can come to terms with her past and the future that awaits her.

For fans of The Age of Miracles and The Immortalists, Erika Swyler's Light from Other Stars is a masterful and ambitious novel about fathers and daughters, women and the forces that hold them back, and the true meaning of progress.

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Light from Other Stars

Erika Swyler